Eric Pickles

Community Budgets: only the start

11 January 2012 | Andy Sawford

The new Community Budget pilots are a step forward in joined-up local services and budgeting. But DCLG  must  do more to roll out this programme nationwide Read more

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The property prize

9 November 2011 | Guy Brett

Better use and sharing of public buildings can help to generate huge savings. But it requires a breaking down of barriers and the putting aside of mistrust and fears over sovereignty Read more

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Community Budget pilots: turbulence ahead?

25 October 2011 | Kate Blatchford

The new wave of Community Budget pilots will need a lot more drive from central government if the ‘whole area’ approach is going to catch on
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Business rate retention: best when it’s boldest

24 October 2011 | Andrew Carter

The LGRR presents a historic opportunity to devolve some level of local financing back into the hands of local authorities. London, in particular, stands to gain Read more...

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Council tax freeze is LGPS members’ lolly

3 October 2011 | Heather Wakefield

The council tax freeze announced by George Osborne is being made at the expense of low-paid, local government workers’ pensions Read more

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Whitehall must get house in order on property

5 August 2011 | Bob Baber

It is welcome news that ministers are encouraging councils to identify the land and buildings that they own, but central government has some work to do in this area too Read more

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We’re not all localists now

1 August 2011 | David Walker

Across Whitehall ‘growth’ has become the rallying cry, and localism is being sacrificed to the urgent demand for economic development  Read more

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Audit Commission: the watchdog that didn’t bark

1 July 2011 | David Walker

The Audit Commission is still holding back in responding to the consultation on its own demise. Criticising the government’s plans could be tantamount to attacking localism and the Big Society Read more

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Fight or flight?

29 June 2011 | Judy Hirst

Easy councils. Remember them? They were meant to be the no-frills, low-budget authorities that supplied only the most residual services – and outsourced everything that wasn’t nailed down. Read more

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Perils of privatising public audit

3 June 2011 | David Walker

Plans to effectively privatise the Audit Commission are destined to fail. Within five years we can expect something not dissimilar from district audit being recreated Read more

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